WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: March is Women's History Month, when the often-overlooked achievements of women, and women who have fought for their right to be recognised, are celebrated. There doesn't seem to be one organisation coordinating events centrally, but we've rounded up some exciting events here. 1-31 March
ST DAVID'S DAY: Whether you're a Welsh person in London, or just an avid fan of all things from England's western neighbour, check out our guide to being Welsh in London, and find a little slice of Cymru just in time for St David's Day. 1 March
VAN DE VELDES: The van de Veldes were a Dutch father and son artist duo who arrived in London in the 1670s, and worked from a studio in Queen's House Greenwich, which they were offered by King Charles II. Now, 350 years after they arrived, Queen's House opens an exhibition dedicated to their maritime themed artwork. From 2 March
JUST FOR LAUGHS: Actor-turned-football-club-owner Ryan Reynolds is the headline act at Just For Laughs, a huge comedy festival taking over The O2. Other big names on the bill include Graham Norton, Aisling Bea, Nish Kumar, Suzi Ruffell, Shaparak Khorsandi, Sue Perkins and Rob Delaney. 2-5 March
CLASSICAL VAUXHALL: St Mark's Church in Kennington hosts four performances as part of the Classical Vauxhall programme, featuring both new and established classical musicians. The festival culminates in a day of workshops for young musicians age 11-14, at St Gabriel's College. 2-5 March
GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL: Kensington's Cine Lumiere hosts two screenings as part of the Glasgow Film Festival On Tour. How To Blow Up A Pipeline follows young environmental activists on a mission to sabotage an oil pipeline, and The Five Devils looks at how scent can invoke powerful memories. 2-6 March
ARAB WOMEN ARTISTS NOW: Rich Mix hosts Arab Women Artists Now, a festival celebrating music, performance, spoken word, film and talks by Arab women artists from across the globe. This is the eighth year of the festival, and highlights include comedian Fatiha El Ghorri's work in progress show, and an aerial hoop performance by Danielle Adourian, inspired by burlesque and drag. 2-18 March
COLLECT 2023: Head to Somerset House to browse contemporary craft and design pieces at art fair Collect 2023. 400 artists are represented, spanning ceramics, glass, jewellery, metalwork, textiles and more. 3-5 March
COMIC CON: Dust off your costume and head to Olympia London for London Comic Con Spring, a three-day celebration of film and TV. VIP guests on the line-up this time around include Vinnie Jones, Moosa Mostafa (Wednesday), Mandip Gill (Doctor Who) and BRIAN BLESSED. 4-5 March
BARNES MUSIC FESTIVAL: Harpists, flautists, saxophonists, singers and a concert band are some of the performers lined up for this year's Barnes Music Festival, which takes place at venues across the area. Under-12s get free entry as part of the festival's Youth Programme, in a bid to reach a younger audience. 4-19 March
BONNIE AND CLYDE: The Garrick Theatre is the new home of musical Bonnie and Clyde, which tells the story of the gun-totin' American fugitive lovers, through song and dance. From 4 March
FANTASY FILM SCORES: Be transported to Middle-earth with music from The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and Game of Thrones performed live by the London Concert Orchestra and Brighton Festival Chorus at Southbank Centre. Pieces from The Witcher, Dragonheart, The Chronicles of Narnia, How to Train Your Dragon, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars and Avatar also feature. 5 March
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY: 8 March is International Women's Day — look out for events taking place around the capital and beyond to mark the occasion. 8 March
TRAVIS ALABANZA: Performance artist Travis Alabanza performs their show Burgerz in a final run at Southbank Centre. Born as a result of someone throwing a burger at Alabanza as part of a transphobic slur, it explores the trans experience through the medium of burgers. 8-10 March
QUEEN'S CORGIS: The Wallace Collection unveils a free new display, The Queen and her Corgis, featuring photographs depicting the late monarch's close relationship with the dog breed. FREE, 8 March-25 June
DISNEY ON ICE: A treat normally reserved for the Christmas period, family show Disney On Ice returns to Wembley with new production Discover the Magic, featuring modern and classic Disney characters from Coco, Frozen, Toy Story, Beauty and the Beast and others. 9-12 March
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR: Prices for artworks start at £50 at the Affordable Art Fair, which is held at Evolution Battersea. Thousands of contemporary artworks are for sale, with special events including DJs, late night openings, and a mural created live on site. 9-12 March
THE OTHER ART FAIR: The Other Art Fair takes over the Old Truman Brewery for four days of artwork that's accessible to all. Affordable and original pieces are up for grabs, alongside immersive installations, live performances and a bar. 9-12 March
ITALIAN FILMS: 12 different films are screened at mini festival Cinema Made In Italy at Cine Lumiere. Fascism, the Pope and gang crime are some of the topics covered in both fiction and non-fiction films. 9-13 March
POLISH FILM FESTIVAL: Now in its 21st year, the Kinoteka Polish Film Festival returns to venues across London, showcasing the best new and classic Polish films. The programme spans comedies, documentaries, and dramas, as well as classics such as 1993 film The Secret Garden, made by Polish director Agnieszka Holland, who gives a pre-recorded introduction at this special screening. 9 March-27 April
WOMEN OF THE WORLD: Three-day festival Women of the World, celebrating women, girls and non-binary people returns to Southbank Centre, tackling topics including miscarriage, women's safety, fat activism, childcare costs and a history of Bengali activism. There's also a marketplace where you can browse and buy products from female-led businesses. 10-12 March
COUNTRY TO COUNTRY: Three days of country music comes to The O2 as Country To Country festival returns. Rising Nashville stars take to the stage between sets from headline acts including Thomas Rhett, Lady A and Zac Brown Band. 10-12 March
CRAFTERAMA: Head to Alexandra Palace for Crafterama, a weekend covering paper crafts, stamps, decoupage, beading, resin art, needle crafts and more. Exhibitors from all over the country show off their craft materials and tools, offering shed-loads of inspiration for your next project. 11-12 March
BFI FLARE: London's LGBTQIA+ film festival BFI Flare is an 11-day celebration of queer cinema featuring gala screenings, panel discussions, short films, and productions on the themes of Heart, Body and Mind. Most events take place at BFI Southbank but some are available online too. 15-26 March
ST PATRICK'S DAY: Around the middle of March each year, most Londoners tend to remember their tiny bit of distant Irish heritage, and embrace it by getting involved in the St Patrick's Day celebrations. The main event is the St Patrick's Day festival and parade on 12 March, but look out for plenty of other Irish-themed parties, supper clubs, menus, bar crawls and events. Maybe acquaint yourself with one of London's best Irish pubs too. 17 March
IDEAL HOME SHOW: Pimp up your pad at the Ideal Home Show at Olympia. Interior designers, furniture suppliers, window and conservatory installation services, candle brands, home accessory stores, and garden DIY experts congregate under one roof to help you make the changes you want in your home. 17 March-2 April
EAT & DRINK FESTIVAL: As part of the Ideal Home Show, Eat & Drink Festival is also at Olympia, aimed at London's foodie types. Tuck into all manner of street food at The Great Eat, stock up your kitchen cupboards with produce from the Artisan Producers Market, and pick up tips, inspiration and possibly a new recipe or two from celebrity chefs on the Eat & Drink Stage. 17 March-2 April
BLACK AMERICAN ARTISTS: The Royal Academy dedicates a new exhibition to some of the most influential Black artists from the south-east of the United States from the past century. Souls Grown Deep like the Rivers features sculpture, paintings, reliefs, drawings, and quilts, most of which will be seen in the UK and Europe for the first time, including work by the celebrated quiltmakers of Gee's Bend, Alabama. 17 March-18 June
SIX NATIONS: International rugby tournament the Six Nations continues into March. Whether you're supporting England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France or Italy, here's our pick of places screening the Six Nations action. Until 18 March
RIVER RACE: The Head of the River Race is rowed annually from Mortlake to Putney, with up to 400 crews of eights taking part. Get down to the river's edge to watch the action taking place. 18 March
RAILWAY MODELLING: Model railway enthusiasts from all over country gather at Alexandra Palace for the London Festival of Railway Modelling. 35+ exhibitors show off their layouts, and there's a chance to pick up rarer scales and gauges. 18-19 March
MOTHER'S DAY: And a reminder to pick up a card and some flowers and chocolates. Perhaps treat her to afternoon tea too, eh? 19 March
RETRO GAMES FAIR: Traders from all over the UK come together for the Retro Games Fair at the Royal National Hotel, where retro video games, board games and merchandise are available to buy. 19 March
TEENAGE CANCER TRUST GIGS: Underworld, Wet Leg, Courteneers and Kasabian are on the line-up for this year's series of gigs in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust, taking place at the Royal Albert Hall across four evenings. 20-25 March
WAR IN UKRAINE: Southbank Centre brings together a panel of historians to discuss the likely outcome of the war in Ukraine. Dr Olesya Khromeychuk, Orlando Figes, Max Hastings and Anne Applebaum debate whether a Ukrainian victory will see Putin defeated anytime soon, or whether trouble between the two countries will continue for years to come. Hosted by BBC newsreaders and presenter Clive Myrie. 23 March
AUSTRIAN FILMS: March is looking like something of a bumper month for film fans, with Austrian film festival WatchAUT scheduled to take place at Cine Lumiere (also hosting Glasgow Film Festival On Tour and Cinema Made In Italy — see above). It's a celebration of the best new films to come out of the country covering everything from space missions to how to deal with the issue of manmade rubbish. 1929 black and white film Woman in the Moon features too, with a live piano accompaniment. 23-26 March
EXECUTIONS LATE: Been to Museum of London Docklands' excellent Executions exhibition yet? For one night only, the museum hosts a late-night opening centred around the exhibition featuring talks and tours, film screenings, music and other activities. 24 March
EARTH HOUR: For one hour on Saturday evening, London's switching the lights off for WWF's Earth Hour, raising awareness of the effects of global warming. Individual businesses and households are encouraged to take part by turning off the lights, but several of the capital's major landmarks will be plunged into darkness too. 25 March
BERLUSCONI: Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi is the unexpected subject of a new musical, opening at Southwark Playhouse. Berlusconi tells the outlandish story of the morally dubious politician through the eyes of three women who want to share their side of the story. 25 March-29 April
FOR BLACK BOYS...: Following sold out runs elsewhere in London, award-winning play For Black Boys Who Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy transfers to the West End for a six-week run, telling the story of six young Black men who meet for group therapy. From 25 March
AFTER IMPRESSIONISM: The period between 1880 and the outbreak of the first world war in 1914 is the focus of the National Gallery's next exhibition, After Impressionism: Inventing Modern Art. Find out about the influence that Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin had on younger generations of artists, resulting in a new genre of modern art. From 25 March
CLOCKS CHANGE: A helpful reminder that the clocks go forward an hour in the early hours of Sunday 26 March
BOAT RACE: Pimm's and gillets at the ready! The men's and women's rowing teams from the two universities go head to head on the River Thames in the annual Oxford Vs Cambridge Boat Race. 26 March
WHERE'S WALLY: Though it's previously taken place in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (and virtually), this year's Where's Wally Fun Run is at Battersea Park. Don your best Where's Wally stripes, choose whether to run 1km, 5km or 10km — and get sponsored in aid of The National Literacy Trust. 26 March
PALACE HALF: If ever a half marathon route was fit for a king/queen, it's the Palace Half. Start your run at the gates of Hampton Court Palace and take in the local area — including crossing the Thames twice, before finishing in the palace gardens. Plenty of charities are still looking for runners to take part on their behalf. 26 March
LONDON FOG: Bloomsbury's Charles Dickens Museum opens a new exhibition, Dickens and the London Fog, looking at how the capital's 'pea souper' years inspired the author, with the thick fogs featuring in his novels including Bleak House and David Copperfield. From 29 March
OPERATION MINCEMEAT: Set in 1943 and telling the story of a secret mission that helped win the second world war, the seriously hilarious Operation Mincemeat: The Musical opens its West End run at the Fortune Theatre. from 29 March
LONDON GAMES FESTIVAL: Thumbs at the ready for the return of the London Games Festival, which celebrates all aspects of the video gaming industry here in the capital. The programme includes networking events, exhibitions, an awards ceremony, and of course, plenty of gaming sessions. 29 March-9 April
PRINT FAIR: Print dealers and publishers from around the world gather at Somerset House for the 38th London Original Print Fair. Works by new artists are for sale alongside those by more established artists, with pieces by Picasso, Matisse and Tracey Emin all on display. 30 March-2 April
BBC EARTH: As announced last year, an immersive BBC Earth experience opens in Earl's Court, voiced but none other than Sir David Attenborough himself. It'll take you on an interactive journey through the seven continents, with a walk-through, 360-degree take on BBC show Seven Worlds, One Planet. 30 March-31 July
SIGN LANGUAGE: Somerset House Studios unveils a new commission by American sound artist Christine Sun Kim. Edges of Sign Language looks at how sound is used in society, and explores the limitations of American Sign Language. 31 March-21 May
WATER: The National Maritime Museum is as suitable place as any to hold an exhibition about water, and more specifically, Our Connection to Water. Works by seven artists are on display, each exploring what water means to them. Aya Mohamed, Artemis Evlogimenou, Dafe Oboro, Giya Makondo-Wills, JIUN Collective, Paul Malone and Seba Calfuqueo use photography, film, installations and other mediums to explore the cultural and spiritual side of H2O. From 31 March
AIN'T TOO PROUD: Head to the Prince Edward Theatre for a new musical about the rise of soul and funk group The Temptations. Ain't Too Proud uses the band's own songs to tell their story, from 1960s Detroit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. From 31 March
TITANOSAUR: One of the most anticipated exhibitions of 2023 is Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur at Natural History Museum. The cast of a Patagotitan — one of the largest creatures ever to walk the earth — goes on display, along with an exhibition about how it lived, and a chance to learn about other giant creatures on the planet today. From 31 March
BERTHE MORISOT: The first major UK exhibition of work by Berthe Morisot is unveiled at Dulwich Picture Gallery. 30+ works by the trailblazing Impressionist artist are on show, along with pieces by Reynolds, Gainsborough and Fragonard. From 31 March
CHERRY BLOSSOM: April bears the bulk of the cherry blossom season here in London, but it sometimes comes out in March if conditions are right. Take a look at our guide to seeing cherry blossom in London for the best places to spot and snap the photogenic pink flowers.
Last chance to see
A few things are closing this month too. It's your last chance to see:
WOMAN IN BLACK: After 33 years in the West End, earning it the title of second longest running play in London theatre history, The Woman in Black leaves the Fortune Theatre this month. It's an adaptation of a Susan Hill novel about a junior solicitor discovering a secret after the funeral of a client. Until 4 March
JEWISH BOOK WEEK: The literary festival continues into March, celebrating the work of Jewish authors. There's still time to hear from former Arsenal vice-chair David Dein and Mel Brooks biographer Jeremy Dauber, among others. Until 5 March
BATTERSEA LIGHT FESTIVAL: Eight light installations have appeared in and around Battersea Power Station, for the first Battersea Light Festival since the building reopened to the public. FREE, until 5 March
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities is Cirque du Soleil's current production, which has been at the Royal Albert Hall since January. It's a steampunk-inspired look at the mechanical world, with all of the usual Cirque magic sprinkled through it. Until 5 March
DICKENS' GHOSTS: The ghost stories of Charles Dickens — including A Christmas Carol and The Chimes — are the subject of current exhibition Dickens, Ghosts and the Supernatural, in his former home in Bloomsbury. It looks at the author's interest in and thoughts on the paranormal. Until 5 March
KEW DOUBLE BILL: Two current exhibitions at Kew Gardens come to a close on the same day. Pip & Pop: When Flowers Dream is a trippy, psychedelic display of miniature landscapes made from sweets, and has been in situ since last May. Elsewhere, Orchids comes to a close, celebrating the flora and fauna of Cameroon. Until 5 March
CEZANNE: Tate Modern's Cezanne exhibition displays the still lifes, landscapes and paintings of French artist Paul Cezanne, showing how his tendency to break the rules changed painting forever. Our art critic gave it a 5* review. Until 12 March
VAULT FESTIVAL: Performing arts extravaganza VAULT Festival comes to a close, in its final year at its current venue. Book now for a dose of theatre, comedy, cabaret, burlesque and other treats, as the event faces an uncertain future. Until 19 March
& JULIET: Picking up where Romeo & Juilet ends, but with Juliet still alive, & Juliet uses well-known pop songs to tell the story of Shakespeare's romantic heroine as she tries to navigate life after Romeo. It's at the Shaftesbury Theatre Until 25 March
MAGNIFICENT MAPS: The oldest surviving map of London is the headline exhibit at Magnificent Maps of London, a cartographer's paradise of an exhibition at London Metropolitan Archives. Also on display are the Ruins of London survey, commissioned following 1666's Great Fire, and 19th century maps, charting the spread of then-fatal diseases like typhoid, cholera and smallpox. FREE, until 29 March
